"Skyfall" director Sam Mendes came on board last July for the 24th film in the franchise along with Daniel Craig as the iconic British spy. MGM, Sony and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced at that point that they had locked in release dates for the yet-to-be titled film, setting the U.K. launch for Oct. 23, 2015, and U.S. for Nov. 6, 2015.

"Skyfall" is the top grosser in the franchise with $1.1 billion worldwide, the best DVD/Blu-Ray seller and the all-time best performer at the U.K. box office. It also won Oscars for Adele's original song and sound editing.

News about Purvis and Wade coming on board was first reported by the Daily Mail, which also quoted an unnamed source as saying that production on Bond 24 would begin in December.

Purvis and Wade began writing the Bond movies with "The World Is Not Enough" in 1999, followed by "Die Another Day," "Casino Royale," "Quantum of Solace" and "Skyfall."

They are repped by UTA in the U.S. and by Casarotto Ramsay in the U.K.